Seniors Center - A-Z Index

Brain aneurysm repair

Brain aneurysm repair is a surgical procedure to correct an aneurysm
, a weak area in a blood vessel wall that causes the blood vessel to bulge or balloon out and sometimes burst (rupture). It may cause:

A metal clip is placed at the base (neck) of the aneurysm to prevent it from breaking open (bursting).

During endovascular repair of an aneurysm:

The procedure is usually done in the radiology section of the hospital.

You may have general anesthesia and a breathing tube. Or, you may be given medicine to relax you, but not enough to put you to sleep.

A catheter is guided through a small cut in your groin to an artery and then to the small blood vessels in your brain where the aneurysm is located.

Thin metal wires or glue are put into the aneurysm. They then coil up into a mesh ball. Blood clots that form around this coil prevent the aneurysm from breaking open and bleeding. Sometimes stents (mesh tubes) are also put in to hold the coils in place.

During and right after this procedure, you may be given a blood thinner called heparin.

Why the Procedure Is Performed

If an aneurysm in the brain ruptures, it is an emergency that needs medical treatment, often surgery. Endovascular repair is more often used when this happens.

A person may have an aneurysm but have no symptoms. This kind of aneurysm may be found when an MRI
or CT scan
of the brain is done for another reason.

Not all aneurysms need to be treated right away. Aneurysms that have never bled and are very small (less than 7 mm at their largest point) do not need to be treated right away. These aneurysms are less likely to break open.

Your doctor will help you decide whether it is safer to have surgery to block off the aneurysm before it can break open (rupture).

Surgery on any one area of the brain may cause problems with speech, memory, muscle weakness, balance, vision, coordination, and other functions. These problems may be mild or severe, and they may last a short while or they may not go away.

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